Good morning, sunshine – how to get into riding to work

For many people, the daily commute to work is at least a bit of a drag. Whether you’re perfecting your car karaoke during a peak-hour traffic jam or doing your best impression of a sardine on the train, these aren’t exactly ideal day-starting situations. Ever watched people breeze past on bikes on their way to the office and thought it looks pretty dreamy? You would be right – no gridlock, some fresh air, a few extra dollars in the pocket and a good workout sounds like a sweet deal to us. If you’ve thought about riding to work but didn’t know where (or how) to start, we’ve teamed up with Cycling Brisbane, an initiative of Brisbane City Council, to get you prepped for the two-wheeled way to travel.

When it comes to riding to work, one of the biggest deterrents for people is feeling unsure about where to start. While it may seem a bit intimidating at first, the benefits truly outweigh any doubts you may have. Cycling Brisbane has put together a handy website full of advice for first-timers that covers off some of the finer points of riding to work. You can learn about end-of-trip facilities and nearby bike parking, pick up the best routes for your ride and get across some handy bike safety tips for your commute.

One of the biggest perks of riding to work is the opportunity for a little pre-work pick-me-up. Brisbane’s bikeways have plenty of great spots to stop off for coffee or breakfast, which is an extra incentive to get a group of friends together for a ride. You won’t have to resort to the communal office tin of instant coffee anymore – spots like Day Made in Woolloongabba, Espresso Garage in South Bank and Monkey Bar Cafe in Greenslopes are all near bikeways and open super early for your morning fix. Cycling Brisbane has also teamed up with a bunch of cafes and bike shops to offer you discounts and deals – to become a Cycling Brisbane member for free and receive these perks, head to the website. Delicious treats aren’t the only reason you should embrace cycling – it does wonders for your physical (and mental) health, it’s environmentally friendly and super cost-effective. So many wins!

Ready for some freewheeling fun? Cycling Brisbane has loads more resources to help you enjoy Brisbane by bicycle, including safety tips and easy ways to integrate cycling into your routine. There’s also no better time to start – Bike Week is coming up from April 28, so you’ll have plenty of support and inspo!

This article was created with our friends at Cycling Brisbane, an initiative of Brisbane City Council. Council is committed to delivering Australia’s most modern public and active travel by investing $100 million to create dedicated bikeways and active travel options.